Philippians 3:20-4:1

“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.” vs. 1

Paul was writing from prison and he knew how difficult it would be for the Philippians as they lived out their life in Christ. Even though they knew that one day all things would be made new and their transformation would be complete, he felt in his bones that there would be hard times ahead for them. Not only would they be rejected by their synagogues, the Roman occupiers could be counted on to arrest and torment them on almost any pretext. But Paul also knew that the blessings of faithfulness would be of immense value, so he encouraged those who he loved so much to stay firm in their commitment to the Lord Jesus. Sometimes we need those words of encouragement too. We live in strange times, with each day bringing us notices of changes in government practices and policies, and we’re not sure what the future will bring. What seemed unthinkable has become plausible, and we have no sense of what the end game will be. The one thing that we do have is our solid conviction that Jesus is Lord, and that in him we can be secure and protected even when some are predicting nothing but doom and gloom. We really are the beloved of God, and no matter what politicians do, God’s love trumps all!

Thought for the Day: How safe and secure am I feeling?